VIA opens doors in Canada

VIA University College and Canada has several partnerships agreements.

A strategic focus on creating partnerships in Canada and establishing cooperation with ministries has paid off. Canadian universities are opening their doors for VIA.

By Camilla Marcinkowski, journalist, cama@via.dk

When Danish students and faculty consider a stay abroad, North America is high on the wishlist.

VIA’s students in design, business, teaching and health sciences are increasingly seeking opportunities for internships and exchange in countries like the US, Canada and Australia.

Canada is a good match

In 2013, VIA decided to focus on select countries when looking for partner institutions.

"Canada was obvious for several reasons. Firstly, many of the country's educational programmes match the ones we offer, such as within teaching and business. Secondly, VIA already had good contacts in Canada from various projects. And thirdly, Canada is less courted than the United States," says Tina Lisberg Bundgaard, senior advisor at VIA International and responsible for the Canadian venture.

Agreements require perseverance

Meetings, meetings and more meetings. That’s the recipe for success for getting concrete agreements in house, says Tina Lisberg Bundgaard, who has lived in Canada for 7 years and has a master's degree from the University of Alberta.

"We have spent much time visiting partners in Canada and inviting them to visit us. The aim has been to get faculty together to discuss opportunities," she says adding that once you get through to one university, it is easier to get through the door to the next.

Among VIA’s new partners are Humber College and Ryerson University in Ontario and Kwantlen Polytechnic, University of Northern British Columbia and University of Victoria are partners in British Columbia.

The partnership agreements are currently at different stages.

“For some, we already have agreements on exchange and development of joint activities, including research. With others VIA has signed general agreements that have to be worked out," says Tina Lisberg Bundgaard.

VIA involves ministeries

Bilateral agreements between Denmark’s and Canada's Education Ministries and Agencies play an important role in opening doors – and VIA plays an active role in bringing those authorities together.

"Framework agreements strengthen our ability to make exciting partnerships – especially because the universities of applied sciences do not have the same level of international cooperation that universities have," VIA’s senior advisor says.